Tagged With: Lawmakers
Massachusetts: Lawmakers Amend Voter-Initiated Marijuana Legalization Measure
With little debate, House and Senate lawmakers voted today to significantly amend Massachusetts’ voter-initiated marijuana law. The vote sets the stage to delay the establishment of state-licensed marijuana retail facilities from January 1, 2018 to July 1, 2018. Governor Charlie Baker, who campaigned against the initiative, must still sign off on the law change. Separate … Continue reading
New Jersey: Two Legalization Measures Now Pending Before Lawmakers
New legislation has been introduced for the 2016/2017 legislative session that seeks to regulate the adult use and retail sale of marijuana. Assembly Bill 4193 permits marijuana to be sold at convenience stores to adults aged 19 and older in unlimited amounts. The legislation also seeks to expunge the criminal records of past marijuana offenders. … Continue reading
Alaska: Don’t Let Lawmakers Undermine the Will of the Voters
Alaskans spoke loud and clear this November when 53 percent of voters decided in favor of Ballot Measure 2, which explicitly legalized the adult possession and cultivation of marijuana for personal use, and regulated the commercial and retail distribution of the plant. This legislative session, however, Alaska lawmakers debated proposed efforts to water down legal … Continue reading
New York: Lawmakers Fail To Consider Legalization Measures
Lawmakers failed to take action on the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act, which would have legalized the drug for people over the age of 21. S 1747 and it’s counterpart A 3089, sought to regulate the commercial cultivation and retail sale of marijuana to adults over the age of 21. It also would have permitted the … Continue reading
Texas: Lawmakers Pre-File Marijuana Decriminalization Legislation
Legislation has been pre-filed for the 2017 legislative session to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana. House Bill 81, filed by Representative Joe Moody and cosponsored by Representative Jason Isaac, seeks to amend state law so that possessing up to one ounce of marijuana is a civil violation, punishable by a fine – … Continue reading
Massachusetts: Lawmakers Fail To Act On Marijuana Legalization Measure
Lawmakers failed to take action on legislation, H. 1561: The Cannabis Regulation and Taxation Act of 2016, to permit the personal possession, cultivation and retail sale of marijuana to adults. The measure would have also permitted home cultivation of the plant for non-commercial purposes. A coalition of more than a dozen bipartisan Massachusetts lawmakers introduced the Act … Continue reading
Washington: Lawmakers Override Hemp Veto
House and Senate lawmakers have voted 131 to 6 to override Governor Jay Inslee’s veto of Senate Bill 6206, which establishes limited licensed hemp production. The Governor had previously vetoed the bill, along with several others, in response to lawmakers’ failure to pass a comprehensive budget plan. Senate Bill 6206 authorizes “the growing of industrial hemp … Continue reading
Wisconsin: Lawmakers Fail To Act On Legislation To Regulate Marijuana
Lawmakers have failed to act on legislation, Assembly Bill 224, to legalize and regulate the adult possession and use of marijuana in Wisconsin. Full text of the bill is here. Annually, state and local police make some 16,000 marijuana possession arrests. The state ranks 19th in the nation in per capita marijuana possession arrests. Under state law, … Continue reading
Maine: Lawmakers Remove Unscientific Per Se Standards For Cannabis
Previously, lawmakers were debating legislation, LD 1320, to impose ‘per se’ criminal penalties to individuals who drive with trace levels (5ng/ml or higher) of THC in their blood — regardless of whether he/she is behaviorally impaired. Fortunately, members of the Transportation Committee amended the bill to remove provisions that make operation of a motor vehicle … Continue reading
Alabama: Lawmakers Adjourn Without Finalizing Unscientific Per Se Standards For Cannabis
State lawmakers adjourned without moving SB 162, which sought to impose ‘per se’ criminal penalties to individuals who drive with trace levels (5ng/ml or higher) of THC in their blood — regardless of whether he/she is behaviorally impaired. Although Senate lawmakers approved the measure, House members failed to pass the legislation prior to the adjournment … Continue reading
